Patrick Eaves returned for Monday’s game, and Brian Lashoff made his NHL debut in the Wings first win of the season in a 4-3 overtime win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Wings goals were from Brian Lashoff, Pavel Datsyuk, Ian White and a shoot out goal from Damien Brunner.
This was the first game for Eaves, since November of 2011 when he suffered a broken jaw.
The Red Wings blew past an awful first game with a well-fought victory, giving them a 1-1 record.
First Period
Right when the whistle blew to start the game, a fight between Tootoo and Boll started things off on an aggressive side.
Red Wings started with a good start with shots on goal from Frazen and Eaves. During this Wings rush there was a blatant penalty on the Blue Jackets.
Smith was boarded into the ice face first. The Wings really needed to get off on a great start with a Power Play goal.
In their first game of the season the Wings went 0-for-4 on the Power Play.
That didn’t happen on the Wings first Power Play. It was pathetic, with no shots on net for the Wings.
The Wings had their second Power Play soon after on an Interference call.
they hit the post, and almost scored to give the Wings their first goal of the season.
Wings had plenty of great chances on this Power Play, but the Blue Jackets goaltender (Bobrovsky) made some amazing saves.
Halfway through the 1st period the shots on net were in favor of the Wings 10-2.
With 4 minutes left in the 1st period on a Jackets breakaway, Howard was run into and resulted in the Jackets 3rd penalty.
Red Wings penalty was short-lived due to a trip on Brunner. The Wings dominated the whole 1st period, leading the stats in shots 13-5 and hits 7-5.
Second Period
1 minute and 10 seconds into the second period Lashoff, in his first NHL game, gets the Wings their first goal of the season.
Samuelson assisted his goal. It was a beautiful slap shot from the blue line, with Franzen in front of the net giving the goalie no chance.
Tootoo was on his game making big hits and making swift shots. He was the energy the Wings needed in this game.
With 13:12 in the second period the Wings had their 3rd Power Play. The Wings controlled this Power play, keeping the puck in the Jackets zone almost the entire time.
After a back and forth battle following a failed Wings Power Play, Jimmy Howard robbed Blues wing Johnson on a beautiful wrist shot from the right side of the net.
The Jackets had a great chance on a four on three with a little less than nine minutes in the second. Zetterberg and Datsyuk made brilliant defensive plays and stopped the Blue Jackets momentum.
Right after this great defensive penalty kill, the Blue Jackets were caught with too many men on the ice.
The very next face off Dan Cleary received a Delay of Game penaltys.
The NHL made a new rule that is in effect this year where a player cannot touch the puck during a face off with his hands or arms.
Dan Cleary touched the puck with his left arm and was sent to the box.
With 5:54 to go on the 4-4 penalty, Ian White scored his first goal of the season and the Red Wings were up 2-0.
Brendon Smith made a defensive mistake and Cam Atkension gave the Jackets their first goal of the game minutes after White’s goal.
It was a great breakaway shot with Howard taking the fake, and Cam sliding the puck by the right goal post.
The Jackets used this newfound energy to put pressure on the Wings all the way through the end of the second period.
After the second period the Wings led 2-1 and still led in shots 25-19.
Third Period
Just 2 minutes and 39 seconds into the Third Period, Brendon Smith was called for Cross Checking.
This gave the Blue Jackets the momentum they needed to tie the game on a beautiful slap shot from the blue line by Wisnieskwi.
Moments after the Blues regained the momentum in the game the Red Wings committed another penalty, giving the Jackets a chance to take the lead.
The Jackets were relentless on this Power Play, making Howard work for his paycheck and hitting the post in the process.
The Jackets continued their onslaught, with an interference call on the Wings’ Kyle Quincy right after another Wings penalty kill.
The Blue Jackets scored another Power Play goal on a very fortunate bounce of the glass behind the net. Vinny Prospal got his first goal of the season and put the Jackets up 3-2. T
he Jackets made a mistake after their goal with a penalty on Artem Anisimov for hooking.
The Wings came up short on the Power Play and gave the Jackets another chance to further their lead with another Penalty on Dan Cleary for boarding.
The referees couldn’t keep their mouths off their whistles and gave Ryan Johnson of the Jackets a penalty for hooking, making it 4-on-4.
On the remaining time for the Wings power play, Franzen got in an altercation with a jacket in front of the net. They both were sent in the box for roughing.
Just as the Power Play expired, Cleary made an amazing pass to Kronwell for an easy pass to Pavel Datsyuk who tapped it in the net making it 3 to 3 with 6 minutes left in the game.
Both teams were crisp and determined but nothing to show for it. The game went in to overtime, tied 3 to 3.
Overtime
The Wings came off firing in the Overtime period, with scoring chances by Datsyuk and Franzen. Both sides had great chances, but this game ultimately went to a shoot out.
Bobrovsky vs. Howard battled in this shoot out after both goalies had decent performances.
Cam Atkinson shot the puck twice on his try. The shot was reviewed and confirmed no goal.
Pavel Datsyuk made a spectacular shot but hit the crossbar. Howard denied Anisimov on his try, and Bobrovsky denied Filppula.
Howard stuffed Ryan Johansen by meeting him outside of the crease.
Zetterberg, with a chance to win the game hit Bobrovsky’s left pad and missed.
Matt Calvert missed the goal high, giving Brunner a chance to win the game. Brunner avoided the goal stick of Bobrovsky and shot it between his legs and scored, giving the Wings a 4-3 win!
[youtube_sc url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZo-BunQpA4"]
Up next..
The Red Wings (1-1) get their first win of the season; the Blue Jackets drop to 1-1.
Todd Bertuzzi is expected to return to the ice as early as Friday. He was tested again for Mono and the results were negative.
The Wings are still without Darren Helm and Jonathan Ericsson.
They will play the Dallas Stars tomorrow at 7:30pm.
Matt Smolek
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